--- title: Trees and Solar Panels: Shade, Pruning and Removal url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/trees-and-solar-panels/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [The Field Guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/) - Trees and solar panels: shade, pruning and removal # Trees and solar panels: shade, pruning and removal Trees shade rooftop solar panels, and the U.S. Department of Energy says excessive tree cover on a roof can make rooftop panels a poor fit. Before installing, get a shade assessment from the installer and an arborist's view on the trees. Pruning to a standard is better than topping, and some trees are better removed. Key takeaways - The DOE says solar panels typically do well on south-facing roofs with a slope between 15 and 40 degrees, and that excessive tree shade can make a roof unsuitable. - Ask the installer for a shade analysis, and show the arborist which trees are in question. - Trees keep growing, so look at the tree's size in ten or twenty years, not today. - Do not top a tree to clear a panel. Topping hurts trees and does not hold. Solar and trees are both good things, and they do not always share a roof well. The cheapest time to decide between them is before the panels go on. ## How much do trees matter for solar? The Department of Energy's homeowner guide says panels are built for all climates, but in some cases rooftops may not be suitable because of age or tree cover. It says that if trees near your home create excessive shade on the roof, rooftop panels may not be a good fit. Roof size, shape and slope matter too. Typically panels do well on south-facing roofs with a slope between 15 and 40 degrees. The DOE advises working with a solar professional for a custom estimate. That professional can measure how much shade falls on each part of the roof through the day and the seasons. ## Should the tree be pruned or removed? It depends on what the tree is. A healthy, valuable tree with a few branches in the sun path may be a pruning job. A tree that is dead, declining, structurally weak or too big for its spot may be a removal job whether or not you install panels. The ISA says removal is recommended when a tree is dead, dying or irreparably hazardous, or is causing an obstruction that pruning cannot fix, and that no live branch should be removed without a reason. A good plan comes from the tree first and the solar second. A certified arborist can say how the tree is likely to grow. Our [arborist consultation](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/arborist-consultation/) covers this, and [crown thinning, raising and reduction](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/crown-thinning-raising-reduction/) explains the pruning terms. ## Why not just top the tree? Topping removes the top of the tree to cut height fast. It leaves large wounds and weakly attached regrowth, and the height comes back. The ISA publishes a brochure on why topping hurts trees, and our guide explains [why topping a tree is not pruning](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/why-tree-topping-is-not-pruning/). If a tree must be much smaller to clear panels, removal and replacement with a smaller species is often the better path. ## What should I ask before I sign? Ask the installer whether the shade analysis covers the whole year and how the design accounts for tree growth. Ask the arborist which trees must stay, which can be pruned and what the pruning would look like. Get both in writing. If a tree is on a neighbor's property or the city right-of-way, the answer is not yours alone. See [HOA tree rules](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/hoa-tree-rules/) and [permits in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-removal-permits-northern-nevada/). - Shade analysis for the full year - Tree growth over the life of the system - Who owns each tree and who can approve work - HOA or city rules that apply ## How do I get started? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) for a free estimate and tell the office the trees are near planned solar. We prune, trim, remove and grind stumps. We do not install panels or advise on solar design. ### Sources - [U.S. Department of Energy: Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar](https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/homeowners-guide-going-solar) (read October 17, 2026) - [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Mature Tree Care (brochure)](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Mature%20Tree%20Care_0321.pdf) (read October 17, 2026) - [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Pruning Young Trees (brochure)](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Pruning%20Young%20Trees_0621.pdf) (read October 17, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Tree trimming and pruning](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/tree-trimming-pruning/) - [Tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/tree-removal/) - [Best time to prune trees in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/best-time-to-prune-trees-northern-nevada/) - [A neighbor's tree fell on your property: who pays?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/neighbors-tree-fell-who-pays/) - [Arborist vs tree service vs landscaper in Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/arborist-vs-tree-service-vs-landscaper/) - [Tree service for homeowners](https://battleborntreeservice.com/who-we-serve/homeowners/) ### Terms on this page [Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/) [Right-of-way](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/right-of-way/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ## More from the blog Pruning and care October 17, 2026 5 min read ### What should you do with your trees in October in Carson City and Reno? In October, finish watering while the ground is open, look over your trees for dead or hanging limbs, and clear leaves and needles away from the house. Save most live-wood pruning for the dormant seas Pruning and care October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Young trees in new subdivisions: the first ten years A young tree in a new subdivision needs very little pruning in its first two or three years, then steady structural pruning to build one strong central trunk and well-spaced branches. The ISA says tre Removal and equipment October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Where tree debris and green waste go in Reno and Carson City Green waste has a few legitimate homes in our area: the landfill or transfer station if the load is only wood and green waste, a fire district drop-off day or curbside chipping program if you qualify, [All posts](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week. ### Can I trim my neighbor's tree that shades my panels? Generally the neighbor's tree is the neighbor's to manage, and rights to trim depend on the law and the facts. An attorney can say what applies. ### Does pruning have to be repeated? Trees regrow. A pruning plan usually involves returning at intervals. ### Will a tree shade a ground-mounted array? It can. The same shade assessment applies to the planned location. ### Is the tree or the roof the bigger decision? Roof age matters too. The DOE says to consider the age of your roof and how long until it will need replacement.